Refrigerating apparatus.



No. 674,059. Patented May I4, |90I. W. J. FRANCKE.

REFBIGEBATING APPARATUS.

(Application led June 15, 1900.)

(No Model.)

Tn: Nonms Pneus cq. nuovo-uwe., wAsmNnToN, n` c.

` nire ArtNr OFFICE.

VILLIAM J. FRANOKE, OF NEV BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO TI-lE BRUNSWICK REFRIGERATING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

REFRlGERATlNG APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 674,059, dated May 14, 1901. Application led June 15. 1900. Serial No. 20.402. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. FRANCKE, a citizen of the United States, residing in New Brunswick, county of Middlesex', State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Refrigerating Apparatus,of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

Io This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus of the general character of that shown in Letters Patent of the United States No. 612,804, granted to E. W. Howell October '18, 1898, in which the cooling effect is produced I5 by the expansion of a volatile liquid or gas, and particularly to apparatus in which an aqueous solution of the gas, such as ammonia, is heated in a still, the vapor or gas then condensed by cold and pressure to an anhydrous zo liquid, the liquid then allowed to expand again into the gaseous form to produce cold, and the expanded gas ultimately returned to the still and absorbed by the liquid therein. The object of the invention is to improve z5 apparatus of this character so as to adapt it for practical use, even on a comparatively small scale, and particularly to overcome certain difficulties which present themselves in the practical operation of the apparatus herego tofore produced, and which render such apparatus useless for the purposes intended.

The invention will be more fully explained hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which its several featuresare represented as embodied in convenient and practical form in an apparatus of eX- ceedingly simple construction and designed with especial reference to its use with 'comparatively small refrigerators.

4o In said drawings, Figure l is a View, partly in vertical section and partly in elevation, of such an apparatus, a portion of a refrigerator being also represented in connection therewith. Eig. 2 is a detail view in section and on a larger scale of the gas-drier shown in Eig. l, and Fig. 3 is a similar view of the check-valve shown in Fig. l.

In the apparatus represented in the drawings the aqua-ammonia or other solution of 5o gas is received within a still or generator A of suitable capacity and construction, which is provided with a suitable heater B and, if desired, with a .jacket C.- The gas which is given off when the aqueous solution is heated passes from the generator through a checkvalve D and a gas-drier E to a condenser-coil E, where under the influence of cold and pressur'e it is condensed, and from which it passes by gravity and without opportunity to accumulate at any point into a suitable re- 6o ceiver G. From the latter and at its lowest point it again passes by gravity through a suitable expansion valve H into an expansion-chamber I, expanding in the same or as it enters the same to the gaseous form,where 65 by the sensible heat is converted into latent heat. The expansion chamber is suitably placed within the refrigerator L in such a position as to produce the best effect. From the expansion-chamber, also at its lowest 7o point, so that any entrained water shall be carried on with it, the gas returns to the generator A, the flow of the gas being induced not only by the affinity of water for ammonia, but by the vacuum which in the meantime has been produced in the generator after the condensation and accumulation of the ammonia in the receiver and before the opening of the expansion-valve, the source of heat beneath the generator having been extin- 8o guished or withdrawn, so as to permit the water in the generator to become cool. The cooling of the water Within the generator is further promoted by a suitable cooling-coil M, which is connected with a suitable watersupply and also delivers water to the condensing-coil F for thel purpose of reducingits temperature. Within the generator and preferably surrounding the cooling-coil M is a second or inner vessel or absorption-cham- 9o ber N, provided near its top with one or more holes n for the escape of water and in or near its bottom with one or more holes n for the entrance of Water. The pipe or conductor/L', which returns the gas from the expansionchamber to the generator, terminates within the lower part of the vessel N.

The gas-drier E is preferably arranged as shown in Eig. 2. As there represented, a chamber e is inserted in the pipe or con- Ioo ductorf, which leads the gas to the condensing-coil F, and is partly iilled with iron chips or turnings or other material which present a large surface for the condensation of water which may be carried on with the gas as it passes from the generator, such material e being packed around the tube e2, of wire-gauze or other suitable material, which is filled with absorbent cotton e3 or other material of like character which will take up the water which is condensed within the chamber e and allow it to drip back toward the generator. It will be observed that the gas drier is located above the check-valve D. This arrangement of these two parts is devised for the purpose of enabling the water which is returned by the drier to assist in sealing the check-valve,

so that the vacuum in the generator when the same is cooled off shall be unbroken by;

any return of gas from above. The checkvalve D is provided, as usual, with a valveplug d; but the seat d for the latter within g the chamber cl2 is wholly below the lowest'` point of the lateral/'opening cl3, at which the pipe or conductor f enters'tle valve-chamber, and the valve-plug d is provided with guid, ing-flanges d4 and has its lower end reduced f in diameter, so that a chamber d5 is formed around the same above the valve-seat. When the check-valve is closed, this chamber d5` becomes filled with 'the water which drips from the drier, so that the valve is eifectually sealed, and leakage of gas around the same when the vacuum has been established in the generator is effectually prevented.

In the operation of the apparatus shownV in the drawings, the still or generator being partly filled with aqua-ammonia and the eX pansion-valve H being closed, heat is applied to the generator. As the aqua-ammonia is heated the am moniapasses oi in the form of gas, is freed from water as it passes through ,any ammonia into the generator, and such gas as there may have beenin the upper part of the generator will be absorbed by the cool water, so that an almost perfect vacuum is produced in the upper part of the generator. The expansion-Valve H is now opened to permit the liquid ammonia to expand into the expansion-chamber I, taking up the latent heat and reducing the temperature of the surroundings. From the expansion-chamber the gas returns to the generatorn nder the influence of the vacuum and of the great affinity of water for ammonia and is discharged into the inner vessel 'or absorption-chamber N,from which it is gradually diffused throughout the body of Water in the generator.

It will be observed particularly that the apparatus is so constructed and arranged that the ammoniafrom the time it is condensed until it is returned to the absorption-chamber always drains downward by gravity and that there are no pockets in its course,whereby all water that may be carried over with it from the generator is always discharged completely at the outset and is-not permitted to accumulate at any point Where it would interfere with the proper action of the apparatus.

It will be obvious that by using two generators and connecting them properly with the other parts of the apparatus it will be possible to use them in alternation, and so secure a continuous cooling effect.

I claim as my inventionl. In a refrigerating apparatus, the combination of a generator, a check-valve having a chamber around its seat and above the same, and a drier above said chamber,where by the condensed Water is returned to said chamber to seal said valve, substantially as shown and described. Y

2. In a refrigerating apparatus, the combination with a generator, of a drier comprisinga chamber illed with nely-divided material to condense the vapors of water, and a container for an absorbent to absorb the condensed Water and return it toward the Agenerator, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a refrigerating apparatus, the combi.

nation with a generator, of a gas-delivery pipe, and a drier located in said delivery-pipe and comprising a chamber filled with finelydivided material to condense the vapors of Water and a tube With perforated sides lled with an absorbent to absorb the condensed water and return it into the gas-delivery pipe, substantially as shown and described.

This specification signed and witnessed this 30th day of December, A. D. 1899.

WILLIAM J. FRANCKE.

In presence of- AN'rHoNY N. J EsBERA, WILLIAM B. GREELEY.

IOO 

